


The Scars May Be Deep, Yet The Skin So Thin

by JinxedAmbitions



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Body Worship, Force Bond (Star Wars), Force Choking, Hand Jobs, M/M, Mentions of Past Torture, Mind probing, Scars, Unsafe Sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-08
Updated: 2017-09-18
Packaged: 2018-12-12 14:23:59
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 16,755
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11738874
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JinxedAmbitions/pseuds/JinxedAmbitions
Summary: Kylo has kept to the shadows since an attack left him scarred, both physically and emotionally; however, the chance to interact with others behind the safety of a mask brings him to a ball. There he meets an officer seemingly immune to his manipulations of the Force.  Hux also seems immune to Kylo's not so subtle barbs.When Hux propositions him, Kylo must decide whether inviting this man into his bed is worth the risk of revealing the extent of the damage done to him.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This was inspired by the KHK prompt: Kylo has a lot of scars and he's embarrassed about them. Cue Hux spending an entire evening worshiping every scar on Kylo's body, telling him how beautiful he is, then fucking him slow and deep while Kylo hides his blushing face in a pillow.
> 
> It got a little away from me.
> 
> Thank you to the wonderful, Kyluxtrashcompactor for betaing this for me!

It was a stately affair, gowns and robes, ornate jewelry, a guest list consisting of only the upper echelon of the galaxy. Most importantly, it was a masque. The facial coverings were a requirement, and the more ornate the better.

Kylo would not have attended if not for the masks. Kylo had not attended a single social event since the incident that had left his body scarred and his spirit broken. He hated to be dramatic about it, but growing up under the scrutiny he had as the son of Leia Organa, he was used to having his every flaw picked apart. It was bad enough when the flaws were imagined. Now though, he was monstrous, and he couldn’t bear to have it pointed out to him.

His family was no help either. They had not supported his choice to become a spy. They had wanted him to become a Jedi and teach others the ways of the Force. Unfortunately, Kylo was not meant to be a Jedi, nor had he been blessed with the disposition that would allow him to teach others the ways of the Force.

Kylo, not Ben as his mother and father insisted on calling him, was cunning and a fighter. He was not happy with days of tired simulations, and nights spent denouncing all feeling. So, he had become a spy. That it had the benefit of taking him far away from his family was kept close to Kylo’s chest. It wasn’t that he hated his family. He just could never please them, and he found it easier to deal with the knowledge of his inadequateness from a distance.

It had been going so well, until he’d been found out. He didn’t know how, and he didn’t know why at that particular time. He’d been ambushed when leaving the place he’d been staying in. He’d been knocked unconscious before he could use the Force, and he’d woken in an interrogation chamber.

They’d tortured him for days with his own lightsaber. They demanded information on his mother and the Resistance. Kylo hadn’t broken, even when they’d singed the skin from his body, leaving painful burns and later ghastly scars.

Kylo was lucky to be alive. He was lucky they’d been careless with his weapon as he grew weaker. He was lucky the bacta tanks could repair the worst of the damage.

He just wasn’t lucky enough to look or feel human anymore.

Few had seen him since the incident, but those who had, had trouble keeping their composure. It didn’t help that Kylo could feel their revulsion pouring off of them as they looked at his scarred features. His own father had been horrified by his face and body. Kylo had little hope that he’d encounter someone who didn’t find him repulsive.

Kylo couldn’t deny that, after months of living in solitude, the prospect of a gala was enticing. He’d begun to forget what human voices sounded like; his own vocal chords were altered due to his injuries. The fact that he could wear a mask and completely hide his scars coaxed him from his exile.

Kylo was dressed in deep crimson robes that fell loosely around his broad body. He avoided tightly fitted clothes unless it was completely necessary, as many of his scars pained him when restricted. The robes were comfortable though, soft and stately with a long cape. They were detailed in gold filigree, and they were far more ostentatious than anything his mother would let him be seen in. Perhaps he wanted to be seen, and more importantly, seen as something other than hideous. His mother wouldn’t understand that desire.

The mask he’d chosen covered his entire head. It was a gold color with red filigree around the eyes. His mother would be contacting him about the number of credits he’d spent on it, but he’d be putting off her annoyance with his spending habits for years. When one looked at holos of his grandmother’s wardrobe, Leia could hardly complain about what he spent on his clothes.

Kylo felt confident as he stepped into the massive ballroom.

“Kylo Ren, son of Leia Organa,” the host announced as Kylo stepped into the room. There was polite applause as all eyes followed him through the sea of guests.

The other guests wore all manner of clothing. Some showed most of their skin while others showed as little as Kylo did. However, all wore masks to cover or distort their features. Kylo breathed easily as he walked through the crowd. Few, outside his mother’s inner circle, knew of his scars or how he’d gotten them. Certainly, no one here would be privy to them.

Some greeted him formally, others with nods. No one looked at him with disgust. Most even seemed impressed by his costume for the evening. It was a welcome change.

Music played, and people danced together as butlers brought food around to those standing about. Kylo wished his mask allowed him to eat, though he doubted the rich foods were a good idea in his current state.

Kylo moved around the rooms slowly, never stopping for long. There were rooms for everything. Some rooms catered to quiet talking, where couples sat speaking intimately to eat other. Other rooms featured themed bars where guests sipped extravagant cocktails. Still, others featured dancers and other entertainers.

Kylo decided that observing people would be better than interacting. He didn’t know what he’d say to anyone if they asked about where he’d been for months.

Kylo was passing through one of the rooms designated for gambling when he actually took notice of another guest. He was a human man, sitting at one of the card tables; he wore a military uniform and a very minimal mask that hardly covered the area around his eyes, while leaving his full bottom lip on display as well as a shock of bright red hair slicked back from his face.

The officer’s lips were set in a frown as he looked at the hand he’d been dealt. Considering he wore the smallest facial covering, his poker face was far better than most at the table.

Kylo found himself pausing to reach out with the Force, intrigued enough to want to know if the man had a decent hand. He was confused when he saw two different assortments of cards flash before his eyes. One gave the man nothing, but the other was a winning draw.

Frowning behind his own mask, Kylo reached into the minds of the others at the table. He did so carefully so as not to alert them of his presence. It was a trick he’d perfected in his years as a spy.

The other players had hands of varying strength. None so good as the one he’d seen in the officer’s mind though. He could also feel their frustration as they paid attention to the officer as though he was the man to beat. Yet, all of that frustration was easily read without the mind trick.

Kylo carefully returned to the mind of the officer, delicately slipping in once again. This time he only saw one hand, and it was the better of the two. Kylo realized with sudden clarity that the officer was cheating. He was calm, and he paid no worry to the men around him—only to his cards.

Rearing back slightly as he drew out of the man’s mind, Kylo found himself being watched by the officer’s sharp eyes. Kylo stood frozen as the officer laid his cards on the table and collected his credits, never taking his eyes off of Kylo. As though he was challenging Kylo to say something.

Kylo fled the room, not because he was opposed to the man’s tactics, but because he didn’t wish to draw attention to himself or his powers. Kylo had cheated regularly as a spy. It was part of survival. Many even thought his connection to the Force was cheating. No, Kylo was more concerned that the man had seemed to detect his intrusion and known that it was him.

He didn’t pause in another room, choosing to make his way back to the grand ballroom where there were enough people to get lost among. He doubted the man would follow him, especially since he hadn’t outed him, but Kylo couldn’t be too careful...not since the attack.

He found himself a place to stand beside one of the massive columns that decorated the ballroom. He kept his back to the ornately decorated pillar as he scanned the crowds. The sea of guests moved so fluidly that it was quite elegant. People changed partners, greeted newcomers, slipped out of each other’s way with such grace that it almost seemed like an elaborate dance itself.

Part of Kylo felt a pang in his chest because he couldn’t join them. He couldn’t risk making connections that would haunt him after tonight. He couldn’t risk having to reveal himself at a later date even if this evening was pleasurable enough.

“A room full of people so obsessed with their own decadence they can’t tell they’re the entertainment,” a voice said from Kylo’s left, and Kylo only just restrained himself from spinning to face the man he hadn’t sensed approach.

Kylo found the redheaded officer standing beside him sipping at a brandy. “You make a habit of approaching strangers to share your disdain for your fellow guests?” Kylo asked, shifting just enough to broaden himself.

“Do you make a habit of probing men’s minds just to read their cards in a game you aren’t even a part of?” the man retorted.

“I find it better to be aware of the situation rather than caught off guard when blasters are drawn due to cheating,” Kylo said, keeping his eyes on the room to appear casual.

The man snorted. “They couldn’t catch a cheater if they watched him do it.”

“Which they did. If I didn’t know better I would’ve mistaken you for a Force user,” Kylo said, eyes zeroing in on several royals from various planets sharing pleasantries.

“I don’t need the Force to manipulate people. I wouldn’t be a particularly good officer if I couldn’t do that on my own…”

“You mean you wouldn’t be an officer without cheating.” Kylo could tell that that struck a nerve. He could feel the man tense beside him as he sipped his brandy.

“I won’t have my merits questioned by a civilian,” the man said sharply.

Kylo didn’t respond. Admitting he’d been a spy for the resistance wouldn’t be wise—at least not until he knew more about the man.

“And what army do you serve?”

“I am chief military adviser to one of the senators,” the man said as though that meant anything. Why a senator needed a military adviser was more concerning.

“For one hardly wearing a mask, you keep your identity well hidden,” Kylo found himself saying. It wasn’t his business, nor did he much care what the man’s title was. It was no longer his job to care. In fact, his mother had expressly forbidden him from collecting intel or placing himself in certain danger since the incident—not that he’d respect such a ridiculous demand. She claimed it was only until he was healthy again, but Kylo knew he never would be fully healed.

“That is quite rich coming from a man covered from head to toe and sneaking into the minds of the rest of the party.”

“I assumed my reputation preceded me,” Kylo admitted. There weren’t all that many Force users invited to these sorts of affairs.

“Rather arrogant of you, wouldn’t you agree?” the man said, sounding far too smug about it.

“Is it my arrogance or your ignorance that is at fault here? If you ask any other guest, I am certain they will tell you my name,” Kylo said, choosing that moment to detach himself from his chosen spot and take another turn about the ballroom. He could feel the man’s anger flair at being embarrassed.

“Stay out of my head,” the man called after him.

“I don’t need to penetrate your mind to know what you’re feeling when you project so far,” Kylo called over his shoulder. He actually felt the man block him out like a door shutting firmly. That was new. He’d never felt someone press him out so successfully.

Kylo tried not to think about the peculiar man as he put some space between them. He caught glimpses of red hair from time to time, but when he looked it was always someone else.He was coaxed into several dances though he tried valiantly to avoid it. He felt uncomfortable in the crowds, and as soon as the music finished, Kylo retreated.

He found himself at a card table, looking for a distraction other than small talk. The stakes were higher than Kylo preferred to play, given his father’s sordid history with gambling. However, anything was better than another dance.

Kylo picked up the rules easily, keeping his cheating to a minimum. Finessing his way into the minds of those around him wasn’t exactly easy on him. It took great control and discipline, and it wasted a lot of energy when he wasn’t in practice. One might think with little else to do, he would train constantly, but it had been difficult since his injuries.

It wasn’t entirely surprising when the officer appeared at the table as Kylo began to clean up.

“Think you’ve found a suitable challenger, Hux?” one of the other men at the table asked the officer.

“I’ve never shied away from one,” Hux said, taking the seat of a man unwilling to lose any more credits for the evening.

Kylo didn’t say anything, instead tapping his gloved fingers on the table as he waited for the next game.

The dealer didn’t waste time, dealing as the officer got situated. She dropped Kylo’s cards in front of him, and Kylo had to steady himself from immediately reaching out to take them. He couldn’t use his tricks on the officer without it being noticed, so he would have to adapt his game.

The officer was reserved even with Kylo sitting at the table with him. He was throwing mental blocks at Kylo so hard that Kylo couldn’t even get a read on what color his gloves were, and Kylo was looking at them.

Kylo played the other players instead of focusing on Hux, and it was clear that Hux was doing the same. It seemed to work because, before long, the other players were beginning to purge from the table.

By the tenth hand, it was just Kylo and Hux and a group of onlookers. Kylo was slightly ahead in the credit count, but he’d also been at it longer. Kylo wasn’t a particularly skilled card player when he wasn’t using his gifts to his advantage, and he just couldn’t use them now. Hux would catch any probes of his mind that Kylo attempted, and he didn’t seem the type to be easily distracted in order to slip better cards into his hand.

The only thing he got when he tried to touch Hux’s mind were images of empty space. It was like staring out the viewport of a ship, and it was starting to make Kylo a little queasy as he was jarred back into the present over and over.

For his part, Hux seemed as collected as ever. However, Kylo caught the sweat forming at his temple. Evidently, keeping Kylo out wasn’t as easy as he made it seem.

Kylo’s constant attempts at probing his mind seemed to have taken Hux’s attention away from cheating, and for the most part it was an evenly matched game.

“Do you often play?” Hux asked, sounding nonchalant though Kylo could tell he was strained.

“I prefer Dejarik,” Kylo said, placing two cards on the table and waiting to be dealt replacements.

“Dejarik? You like a game of strategy?” Hux asked, his pale eyes studying Kylo from across the table.

“I enjoy watching my players destroy those of my opponents,” Kylo corrected him.

“Ah, the brutality. I am not surprised.”

“Do you play?”

“I have been known to on occasion.”

“For the strategy?”

“Is there something wrong with enjoying a strategy game?” Hux asked. He looked up from his cards, his eyes flashing with something akin to amusement. Kylo was struck by just how clear the man’s eyes were even in the dimly lit room.

“I suppose not. Though I wonder at your skill as an officer if all you play are strategy games...wouldn’t practical knowledge be...better?” Kylo could tell he’d struck a nerve yet again. The walls Hux had constructed shook as his jaw clenched. It was enough of a distraction for Kylo to do his own misdirection and assist his hand.

“A sharp mind is necessary as an officer. You simply cannot be at war constantly. You must find other ways to keep your mind sharp,” Hux said defensively.

“The galaxy has been at war far longer than I’ve been alive. I’m sure you could manage,” Kylo said, placing his cards out and smiling when the man’s eyes widened behind his scant mask.

Hux sneered at him as Kylo collected his credits. Instead of trying to best Kylo again, he made a tactical retreat and left the table.

Kylo watched him stand and walk out of the room with perfect posture, and found himself intrigued Hux could go toe to toe with him, but had his own weaknesses.

Collecting his winnings, Kylo made another lap around the party. It showed no signs of ending, but he was tired. His little game with Hux had taken it out of him. He hadn’t used the Force so extensively since his capture, and he felt his body’s weakness after his careful probes.

Kylo was standing just inside one of the sitting rooms when he was confronted again.

“Leia Organa’s son, I didn’t realize they let rebel scum into such an event,” Hux said, appearing seemingly out of nowhere again. Kylo disliked that Hux could sneak up on him when no one else had been able to do so since he was a child.

“Once again, your ignorance hurts none but yourself,” Kylo told him. It wasn’t the first time he’d been called names because of his origins. However, he was tired and wouldn’t put up with much more from the man he’d accidentally alerted to his skills.

“Who says I’m hurt? Merely pointing out that this is not the sort of affair the Organas attend,” the officer noted. He sounded casual again like he hadn’t just lost a significant amount of credits to Kylo.

“Have you been to many of these events? Those patches on your uniform look awfully fresh for you to have been invited to many. Perhaps this is your coming out event. Shall I have them announce you, so you might have your pick of partners?” Kylo asked.

The man scowled at him. “I thought I’d made my choice of partners known,” he said.

It was Kylo’s turn to be shocked. He stood there staring at the man, attempting to find another meaning in his words.

“After I probed your mind? Embarrassed you?”

“One must keep their enemies close,” Hux said, keeping up the appearance of having an ordinary chat, but Kylo could feel the desire the other man felt. He was clearly meant to as Hux had managed to keep him at bay to this point.

“We are enemies?” Kylo asked, searching for steady ground. He was being propositioned by a stranger, a stranger who seemed immune to his mind tricks and avoidance techniques. Kylo didn’t doubt that he could break Hux’s barriers if he truly wanted to, but he didn’t want to. He didn’t particularly enjoy destroying a man’s mind no matter the reason.

This was just the sort of thing Kylo had been trying to avoid all night.

“Not enemies...opponents...in a game of brutality and strategy,” the officer told him, sounding pleased with his own reference.

“I’m looking for neither,” Kylo told him, deciding now would be the best time to depart.

“I find that hard to believe based on your behavior this evening,” Hux said, falling into step beside Kylo.

“I had not realized you’d proposition me, or I never would have probed your mind…”

“It only seems fair. You’ve had a look inside of me, should I not get the same opportunity?”

Kylo growled. “Had you not been cheating, I never would’ve looked…”

“That’s hardly an excuse, and you cheated as well when you distracted me.”

“Why would you want to sleep with me then? Found out I’m an Organa and are looking to cut a deal? Looking to pitch a cause? Looking to get a ransom? I don’t work with my mother, and I’m not looking to whore myself out for your cause,” Kylo said when the man blocked his path.

“You’re frightened.”

Kylo almost struck him. He didn’t care that Hux was completely right. He wanted to hurt him for saying it aloud.

“I’m not interested.”

“Then have a drink with me. Just the two of us and a game of Dejarik. Nothing untoward about it, just two men enjoying a game of strategy. Surely you would not be—”

“No.”

This seemed to shock Hux even more than Kylo’s refusal to sleep with him. Kylo found it particularly pompous that the man found his company more enticing than his willingness to provide sexual comfort. Hux had hardly said anything worth listening to all night, and just because he could block Kylo’s mind didn’t mean he was particularly interesting.

“You must hide something truly horrid behind that mask to denounce all company,” Hux said, finally turning to leave Kylo’s side. He’d just chosen the wrong parting words.

Kylo saw red as he reached forward ever so slightly with his hand and clenched it. The man froze in his steps and grasped at his throat.

“What did you say?” Kylo demanded, uncaring that they were already drawing the attention of others in the small sitting room.

The man gasped for breath, but little got through the hold Kylo had on him. Kylo could see his face turning red as he tightened his fist. How dare the man humiliate him. How dare he mention Kylo’s scars. How dare he.

“Someone help him. He’s choking,” one of the guests cried, rushing to Hux’s side and trying to ascertain what exactly was happening to him.

“You dare—” Kylo was about to crush Hux’s windpipe as he saw his face begin to turn purple. Hux faced him, but his eyes began to roll back in his head, and Kylo was faced with the horrific image.

_The pressure never left his head, like it was constantly in a vice. He knew it was whatever was keeping the connection to the Force at bay. It didn’t make the pain of it go away at all though. Kylo constantly felt sick, like he wasn’t getting enough air to actually survive._

_They’d kept him here for days, torturing him on and off, but the worst of it was the empty hours when Kylo was cut off from the Force and left with this weight in his skull…_

Kylo unclenched his hand, and the man immediately crumpled to the floor. He choked and gasped as he filled his lungs, but Kylo fled.

“No, wait,” Hux called after him, choking on his words as his throat smarted from Kylo’s assault.

Kylo didn’t know how Hux managed to run after what Kylo had done, but Hux caught up to him in one of the servants’ hallways.

“What did I say?” Hux asked, touching Kylo’s arm but not holding it. Kylo could pull away if he so chose.

Kylo was tempted to throw him off, but Hux’s touch was like fire. He could feel the warmth through his robes, and it spread up his arm and into his chest.

“You said I am horrid,” Kylo reminded him. Turning to see if the damage he’d done was visible on the man’s pale skin. Hux’s uniform covered most of his neck, and Kylo found himself reaching out and thumbing it down to see if there was bruising.

The skin was warm, though still unblemished. Kylo knew it would bloom into vivid blues and purples soon enough. He tried to reach out, to heal what he’d done, but it was not so simple.

“I am sorry—”

Kylo shook his head. How could Hux even begin to understand what he’d said, just how deeply it cut? Kylo had been foolish to react that way. Hux didn’t know; he wasn’t aware of what had been done to him.

“I should go,” Kylo said, feeling his chest constrict as Hux didn’t try to hold him back this time.

Kylo walked down the echoing hallway, trying not to look back. This was the first person he’d spoken to at length since he’d come out of the bacta tank. This was the first person who’d offered to go to bed with him or just play Dejarik or even share barbs.

Kylo did not like to admit he was lonely. He despised it almost as much as he despised admitting that he was self conscious of the scars. Yet, here he was faced with a remedy for one at the cost of the other.

“My ship…” Kylo said, pausing at the end of the hall. His voice echoed back down the chamber. “If you still care for a drink…”

“Are you propositioning me, Prince Organa?” Hux asked, hardly a few feet away from him. Clearly, he hadn’t given in so easily after all.

“I’m no prince,” Kylo remarked, turning to see Hux standing with his hands clasped behind his back. “Are you interested?”

“By all means, lead the way.”

They fell into step together, and Kylo felt anxiety clench at his throat. This was dangerous for a whole host of reasons. Who knew who Hux really was, or what his intentions were. This could be another trap, or worse, an assassination.

Kylo guided him back to his ship though. They wove through the expansive estate to the docking bay where most of the guests had flown into.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again, a big thank you to Kyluxtrashcompactor for betaing this for me. She gives the most wonderful and encouraging feedback.

Kylo kept a sharp eye on his surroundings, and his companion seemed to do the same. He led the way to the small ship he’d been using for himself. It was lowkey, which was what Kylo had been trying to stay since his capture. He didn’t want to draw attention when he did venture into inhabited regions. Most people saw this thing and looked the other way.

“I will admit, I expected something…”

“Less resembling a pile of crap? Call it a family tradition,” Kylo said, walking up the ramp of the ship.

It really was small. It mostly consisted of food stores, personal quarters, and the cockpit. Kylo really didn’t need much else.

“I had a room at the estate,” Hux said, looking at Kylo’s small cot like it was a mat for an animal to sleep on.

“I don’t stay in unfamiliar places,” Kylo told him, walking to the cabinet above his cot and opening it. He knew he had an old bottle of brandy in here somewhere, unless Han had stolen it.

“I see. Well then, do you have Dejarik?”

“Not on this ship. My old one...had more amenities,” Kylo said, fumbling around with the contents of the cabinet. His mask wasn’t helping at all with how much it limited his vision.

“Perhaps some light…”

“No!” Kylo cringed at how angry he sounded. “I’m sorry. I guess I misjudged my brandy supply.”

“No worries,” Hux said, producing a flask from the pocket of his uniform trousers. “You’ll need to remove the helmet to drink.”

“I’m fine without.”

“What’s beneath it that you’re so afraid of me seeing? Not really Leia Organa’s son? Just posing as him to enjoy a party?”

“I wish it was something so harmless.”

Hux laughed softly. “How about I play you for what’s underneath that helmet and cloak? If you lose a hand, you remove an article of clothing. If I lose, I will do the same? Does that even the playing field? A game of strategy?”

“You and your games,” Kylo sighed, but he sat at the cramped table. Hux produced a deck of cards and began to shuffle them before Kylo took them from him and studied them for any anomalies.

“This coming from the man covered from head to toe who refused a perfectly adequate offer of sexual favors,” Hux said.

“Just cut the deck,” Kylo said, holding out the cards he’d shuffled. Hux smiled as he did just that, handing them back to Kylo to be dealt.

Kylo was expecting Hux to pull out all the stops. It was a matter of pride, after all, not to wish to lose one’s literal shirt in this game. However, Hux gracefully lost the first in a clean game.

“You could’ve cheated,” Kylo said as Hux removed his left glove with little fuss.

“Cheating wouldn’t serve me well here,” Hux said, taking the deck and shuffling this time.

Kylo shrugged and cut the deck before Hux dealt. He studied his cards, but most of his focus was on the man across from him. His eyes were drawn to the pale skin of his bare hand as he ran his fingers over the cards to space them evenly.

At first, Kylo had thought Hux’s tendency to touch his cards was a tell, but the man seemed to just like them spaced perfectly when he held them. Perhaps that was a tell, but not the sort that would help Kylo win the hand.

“What made you come to the gala if you did not wish to interact with the guests?” Hux asked as he placed two cards down and dealt himself two more.

“Sometimes it is nice to be around others even if you do not speak to them,” Kylo said, focused mostly on which cards he wished to discard.

“That sounds very lonely,” Hux noted, handing Kylo three cards.

“I don’t expect a man used to living with scores of others to understand.”

“As an officer, I have my own quarters.”

“I doubt you’re ever in them. You seem the sort to rarely sleep,” Kylo noted, placing his hand on the table and waiting for Hux’s.

“Stamina is important to an officer,” Hux said in the most thinly veiled innuendo Kylo had heard since seeing his father the last time. Hux placed his cards down as well, and once again took the loss with grace.

Kylo bit his lip as he watched Hux bite the tips of his gloved fingers and pull the glove off. It was clearly seductive, but Hux went right back to business once it was off. Kylo took the cards and shuffled again.

Hux’s strategy came to light when they were close to a dozen games in. Kylo had won all but two hands, and was sitting comfortably still clothed save for his boots. Hux had lost his gloves, boots, socks, belt, and military jacket. He sat in just his mask, trousers, and undershirt as he shuffled the cards for their next hand.

“Do you think I will have pity on you if you lose all of your clothes? Or maybe that I’ll lose all self control?” Kylo asked, watching the way Hux’s clavicle shifted beneath his tank top. It was hypnotizing to watch the fair skin on display. There was not a mark or blemish on the man, as though he hadn’t seen sunlight in years.

“I am just unskilled at cards when cheating is off the table,” Hux assured him, but Kylo didn’t need to be a mind reader to know it was a lie.

“I can assure you that I am a master of self control. A few pale limbs aren’t going to sway me. I spent years studying to be a Jedi.”

“Then you must be in desperate need of a thorough fuck,” Hux retorted with a tight lipped smile.

Kylo tried not to choke on the blunt rebuttal. He picked up the cards Hux had dealt him and very carefully tried to reach out with the Force to get a sense of Hux’s motives.

“If you want to know something, just ask. You aren’t nearly as subtle at your prying as you think. Most people are just hopelessly unaware of their own mind,” Hux said, once again spacing his cards just so.

“Your answers aren’t exactly truthful.”

“You’re just prescribing the wrong meaning to them,” Hux deflected, picking up two cards to replace those he discarded.

“Why are you trying to lose?”

Hux smiled at him. “Strategy. Sometimes the battle you need to win can only be facilitated by a strategic loss in another area.”

“You plan to lose your clothes in order to get me to do what?” Kylo asked, studying his own hand.

“Relax.”

Kylo looked up at his opponent. He eyed him from his impeccable hair down his masked face and over his neck and chest. Kylo wasn’t sure how the man thought losing his clothes would calm Kylo down. In fact, it was having the exact opposite effect, and if Kylo wasn’t a master of control he’d be beside himself with lust and frustration at the moment.

“I think your plan is flawed,” Kylo informed him, placing his cards on the table.

“We shall see,” Hux told him, dropping his cards before standing up and dropping his trousers.

Kylo’s mouth hung open behind his mask as the man’s milky thighs were revealed. They weren’t the best thighs Kylo had ever seen, or touched for that matter, but they were nicely muscled despite the officer’s lankiness. This was definitely not helping Kylo relax.

“Your deal,” Hux said, casually stepping out of the pants and adjusting the regulation underwear that he wore. Kylo’s eyes were immediately drawn to the undergarments as Hux straightened them. The loose boxers appealingly skimmed the tops of his thighs and skirted what was beneath them.

“You still care to play? You haven’t much clothing left to lose,” Kylo said, shuffling the cards.

“Perhaps not, but the pot is too sweet to pass up,” Hux said, taking his seat again.

Kylo lost the next hand, and with it went his cape. Frankly, it was nice to be rid of it as the cabin was far from chilly, and Kylo was hot enough to melt inside his outfit. However, he refused to lose a single layer unless dictated by the game.

“I noticed you are a skilled dancer,” Hux said as Kylo carefully hung the cape before returning to his seat. It was a habit he’d gotten into while living as a spy. He never wanted to trip over discarded clothes if he was attacked in his quarters.

“A part of growing up as I did,” Kylo said, not really wishing to speak of his past.

“I’m afraid they didn’t teach us the specifics of polite dance in the Academy,” Hux told him, shuffling the cards once again.

“Do officers not attend balls very often?” Kylo asked, still uncertain of just which army the man represented.

“Only the ones who care for politics.”

“And what do you care for?”

“Power.”

“Are they not the same thing?”

Hux smiled at him, showing his poor hand. “I prefer not to beg for my power.”

“I forgot, you prefer to cheat,” Kylo retorted, feeling his mouth go dry as Hux pulled his undershirt over his head and dropped it beside him.

His pale chest was not nearly as developed as other soldiers Kylo had met, but there was muscle to him. An understated strength that Kylo could sense more than see as Hux folded his hands on the table, waiting for Kylo to deal.

“There is no cheating in war. There are just more productive tactics than others.”

“And more underhanded.”

“I am the man stripped to his undergarments, and you are accusing me of cheating.”

Kylo huffed and dealt the hand. He was expecting a sudden improvement in Hux’s skill, and a more evenly matched game. After all, if Hux lost anything else the game would end.

Hux lost, and instead of removing the mask he wore, he stood and hooked his thumbs in his boxers and tugged them down with no hesitation.

Kylo’s mouth hung open as the man stood completely bare. His eyes roved over lean muscle and fair skin from head to toe. The man stood with his hands on his hips, unbothered to be presenting his naked body to his opponent. It only served to draw the eye to his groin.

“The game is over, I won,” Kylo said, praying the vocoder hid how affected he was by the man in front of him. He wanted to run his hands over the man’s skin, taste it with his tongue.

“On the contrary, the game has only just begun,” Hux said, smiling predatorily as he picked up his flask and took a sip.

“I could throw you out right now without a stitch of clothing on you,” Kylo reminded him.

“You could.” He didn’t try to refute it at all. Kylo realized that he’d accounted for that response and chosen to play this way anyway, not because he thought Kylo wouldn’t do it but despite that possible outcome. It would’ve seemed a reckless strategy if Kylo wasn’t so intrigued to see where he was going with it.

“Why are you so determined to sleep with me that you’ll submit yourself to humiliation to achieve it?”

“I enjoy a challenge.”

Kylo growled in frustration. The man was all games, but he needn’t be. He’d captured Kylo’s interest without them.

“Care to play another hand?” Hux asked, taking his seat again.

“You have nothing left to lose.”

“But you have more to win. If you win, you may touch me wherever you like. If I win, I choose what you remove next,” Hux said.

Kylo frowned. It was a generous offer but a dangerous one.

“Deal.”

Hux picked up the cards and shuffled them neatly. Once again, Hux lost.

“You lips,” Kylo said, deciding to start small.

“You needn’t announce yourself. I’ve already given you permission,” Hux told him. His smile stretched that full bottom lip tantalizingly. He was laughing at Kylo. Perhaps not outright, but it was there in the eyes.

Kylo reached over the small table and ran his gloved thumb over the plush bottom lip. He wished there was no barrier between them, but he wouldn’t remove his gloves just for that sake of touching the man. That would be giving in too far.

Hux didn’t stop him or hurry him as he traced his lips with his fingers, but Kylo became self conscious when he realized how entranced he was by just those lips. He pulled back and began to shuffle the cards.

This time, Hux won with a strong hand. Kylo swallowed thickly behind his mask as Hux rested his hand over Kylo’s and guided it across the table.

Kylo wasn’t expecting him to pull the same trick he had with his own, but Hux brought his hand to his lips and nibbled at the tips of his gloved fingers before latching on and removing the glove with his teeth. Kylo’s breath caught as Hux’s stared steadily at the mask Kylo wore, eyes sharp and full of seduction.

Hux dropped the glove into his own lap, and Kylo smothered a moan at the thought of his hand following that glove.

Kylo lost the next hand and his other glove. This time, Hux pulled it away with his hand, but his lips were there to suck Kylo’s fingers as they were revealed. Kylo was helpless to suppress the moan that escaped this time as he watched Hux suck his entire middle digit into his eager mouth. His lips wrapped around it obscenely.

As Hux pulled way, continuing to massage Kylo’s hand, Kylo’s entire body shuddered.

Kylo won the next hand, and he had to think before he chose what part of Hux he wished to touch. He looked Hux over as he stood and walked around him. Finally, he placed his hands on Hux’s shoulders and massaged the muscle there.

The warmth of Hux’s skin beneath his fingers was breathtaking. The softness of it left Kylo not wanting to take his hands away. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d touched someone at all, never mind in this context. He didn’t even touch his own mother without wearing gloves anymore.

Hux rolled his neck as Kylo touched him, relaxing. Eventually, Kylo let his hands fall back to his sides and returned to his seat. He could feel the pads of his fingers tingling from their prolonged contact.

The next hand went to Hux, and Kylo’s gasped as Hux knelt in front of him and unfastened the thick belt around his waist. The thing fell to the floor with a thump, and Hux ran his fingers over Kylo’s covered stomach and down his thighs.

Kylo bit his lip as he looked down at Hux kneeling between his legs. He could see Hux’s cock hanging between his spread thighs, waiting on a game Hux seemed confident he wouldn’t lose.

“Whose turn is it to deal?” Kylo asked, afraid of what might happen if he let Hux stay down there. Afraid of what he was increasingly willing to let Hux do...and see.

“My deal,” Hux said, looking up at Kylo with a half smile playing on his lips. He rose to his feet and turned back to his seat, giving Kylo a tantalizing view of his ass.

Kylo’s eyes followed it until Hux lowered himself into the chair again. He knew what his next win would be.

“Tell me, Kylo Ren. Why have you given up the name your parents gave you?” Hux asked, dealing the cards as Kylo sat back down.

“Why do you only go by Hux?”

“Touché.” Once again, Hux let it drop. He seemed to push Kylo only to retreat as soon as he met resistance. For some reason, the strategy was working.

“I did… I was an operative. It was the name I took… when I came back… I guess I just didn’t remember who Ben Solo was. I certainly didn’t resemble him anymore. So, I kept the name. I may not be a spy anymore, but it doesn’t really matter. I rarely venture to inhabited planets, and no one can find me if I don’t wish to be found,” Kylo told him.

“I am certain Senator Organa loves that,” Hux said, half engrossed in the game.

“She’s learning to adapt,” Kylo told him, discarding two cards. Hux just laughed. “And your name?”

“Only my friends know my first name.”

Kylo smiled. “If I win the next hand, I want to know your name,” Kylo wagered.

“Winning my friendship are you?”

“No, just a name.”

Hux studied him carefully, and Kylo shouldn’t have let those piercing eyes capture his attention because Hux placed a very high hand on the table and smirked as he rose and circled Kylo to collect his own winnings.

Kylo gasped as Hux stood behind him and peeled his outer tunic up his chest and over his head. His hands skimmed over Kylo’s pecs and sides once they were free of the heavy layer.

“Don’t get too confident, Ren. I didn’t get to where I am by letting egotistical men push me around,” Hux said, running his palms over Kylo’s ribs.

Kylo tried to hold his composure, but Hux’s touch was addicting even through layers of clothing. He could feel the heat of Hux’s skin blazing a path down his body, and he could feel his own body aching to touch him in return.

Hux stepped back, and Kylo almost growled at the loss of his touch. His brain reminded him that there were only a few more layers before Hux wouldn’t want to touch him anymore. Only a few more losses before Hux would find him repulsive.

Kylo adopted Hux’s methods of distraction in their next hand, using his powers to cheat in a more traditional fashion. When they placed their cards on the table, Hux frowned.

“My name or would you rather touch?” Hux asked.

Kylo bit his lip. He wanted Hux’s name on principle, but more than anything, he wanted to touch him. Kylo threw principles and restraint to the wind and stood from the table. He motioned for Hux to stand as well, and the man smiled smugly as he rose.

Kylo crowded into Hux’s space, backing him against a wall before wrapping his arms around Hux’s bare hips and cupping his ass. Kylo could practically fit each cheek in his large hands as he kneaded the supple flesh.

Hux made a surprised sound as Kylo squeezed him roughly before running his fingers between the cleft of his ass. Hux pressed forward, rubbing himself against Kylo’s still clothed thigh and wrapping his own arms around Kylo’s shoulders.

“Couldn’t help yourself, could you?” Hux whispered to the helmet Kylo wore when Kylo didn’t let go of him.

“This is what you wanted, isn’t it?” Kylo retorted, pressing his thigh forward against Hux and practically lifting him onto it by his ass.

Hux moaned, and while the helmet muted the soft sound, Kylo still heard it, and it sent a jolt right to his cock.

“As much as I am enjoying your enthusiasm for my ass, it is only fair that I have my chance to even the playing field,” Hux said, pushing Kylo back.

Kylo almost staggered, but he caught himself and watched Hux standing in front of him. His cock was half hard now, and his chest was a beautiful rosy color. Kylo turned abruptly and found his seat. He’d win the next hand and get his hands back on that body. If he could hold Hux off, he could keep touching him and Hux would never see his scars.

Unfortunately for Kylo, it was Hux who won the next hand.

“What to choose next,” he said, making a show of picking which garment to peel off of Kylo next.

Once again, Kylo was surprised when Hux plunked himself in Kylo’s lap and snapped his suspenders. It was clearly a way to drag the game out to just take the suspenders but not the pants attached to them.

Instead, Hux slid one off Kylo’s shoulder and followed it all the way down his arm, feeling his muscles as he went.

Kylo reached around and tried to cup Hux’s ass again, but before he could grab him, Hux slapped his hands away and shook his head.

“You didn’t win,” he reminded him, reaching up to slowly push the second strap down as he rolled his hips to grind against Kylo’s lap. Kylo was breathless as he watched Hux skillfully use his body to distract and arouse.

“They teach you this in the Academy?” Kylo asked, watching Hux’s cock brush against his lap. He wished he could be as naked as Hux right now.

“Call it an extracurricular,” Hux said smugly.

Kylo wished he could do the same with his body, but the only distraction his provided was horror. Kylo was getting closer to losing this game. The next loss would either be his shirt, his pants, or his helmet, and any one of those would reveal a set of horrific scars.

Hux slowly rose from Kylo’s lap, and Kylo had to force himself not to grab him and keep him there. He had to force himself not to beg Hux to end the game here and just let Kylo continue to touch him without revealing himself.

Kylo once again watched Hux’s ass retreat, and he made a fist in his lap. Kylo could understand how addicting a game could be when the prize was dangling just out of reach, though he’d argue that Hux’s body was a much more enticing prize than some credits.

“Your deal,” Hux said as he shifted on the seat to get comfortable...or to distract Kylo.

Kylo dealt, and he had nothing. He felt his pulse race as he tried to make something out of his cards, but even by discarding three he received nothing better. Kylo thought about what part of him Hux would choose to unveil. Would it be his legs, which had deep marks where he’d been tightly restrained? Would it be his chest and arms where they’d used his own lightsaber to torture him? Would it be his face, the final affront where they practically cleaved his skull in two leaving a thick scar across his features?

Sweat dripped down Kylo’s face as he waited for Hux to reveal his hand. This was it. This was his final moment to enjoy Hux’s company, his wit, his body. It would all be torn away, and he’d be left alone again. However, Hux would undoubtedly have choice words about how monstrous Kylo was before that.

Hux’s cards fanned out on the table, and Kylo blinked at them. He saw nothing, not that his vision had glazed, but Hux’s hand was just as pitiful as his own.

Kylo glanced at his hand and shuddered with relief as he placed his own cards on the table. He had the higher card. He won by default.

Hux sneered. “A pathetic showing,” he said, but he motioned for Kylo to come to him.

Kylo approached him slowly. He had to be smart about this. This might very well be his last chance to touch Hux, and he couldn’t waste it. He walked behind Hux’s chair and spun it around. Then he sank to his knees between Hux’s legs.

Hux’s face lit in surprise when Kylo wrapped his fingers around his still hard cock and immediately began to stroke it. Hux looked like he was trying to form words, but instead a moan slipped out.

Kylo took that as a sign that he was doing something right. He kept his hand only on Hux’s cock, afraid that if he touched him elsewhere, Hux would invoke the rules of the game and send Kylo back to his seat.

He kept his grip firm, but not too tight as he stroked Hux. He smiled as Hux’s legs fell open further. He watched Hux’s head tip back as a sigh slipped through his lips.

The line of Hux’s neck was gorgeous, and Kylo wanted to run his lips along it. He wanted to taste the sweat forming on his throat and suck a mark into that pale skin.

Kylo stroked Hux faster as he concocted a fantasy in his mind where they could be naked together, writhing in pleasure. It was a cruel fantasy because it was impossible, but Kylo couldn’t stop himself from wishing. Hux was too beautiful to ignore.

Hux reached down, and Kylo expected him to stop this so they could go back to their game. However, Hux wrapped his fingers around Kylo’s and showed him what he wanted.

Kylo’s breath hitched as he felt Hux’s fingers on his own. He felt his whole body react to the touch, the encouragement to keep going.

“Touch me,” Hux whispered, bucking his hips into their joined fist.

“Where?” Kylo asked, looking Hux over, and not knowing where to start. He wanted to touch all of him. He wanted to remember what it was like to touch someone and bring them pleasure.

“Everywhere. I want to feel you,” Hux said, and Kylo bit his lip. He wanted to feel Hux too, not just with his hands.

Bringing his left hand up, Kylo ran his palm over Hux’s thigh. He ran it back and forth over the fine hairs covering his thigh then up to cup his hip. Hux was smooth and unblemished, and Kylo was almost angered by how pristine his body was. Not even the rays of the sun had marked Hux’s skin.

Kylo growled as he raked his nails over Hux’s belly, leaving red lines in their wake. Hux howled and arched into their hands. He moaned as Kylo did it again, biting his lip.

The lines stood out in stark contrast to Hux’s milky belly, and Kylo couldn’t take his eyes off of them. He couldn’t stop from making more, leaving his mark where nothing else had.

Hux gripped Kylo’s thick biceps as Kylo continued to mark him up, but he never asked Kylo to stop. He never showed any sign of distaste for what Kylo was doing. On the contrary, he seemed to become more animated with each rough touch.

Kylo pinched one of Hux’s nipples and that made him practically arch right out of his seat. The cry he made went straight to Kylo’s cock, and Kylo couldn’t stop himself from doing the same to the other. The result was far from disappointing.

Hux was close. Kylo could tell just from the electricity in the air. It didn’t take much to feel the energy Hux was giving off. Kylo could practically taste it as he very carefully tapped into the Force.

It hit Kylo like a star destroyer. He could feel Hux’s pleasure surge through him. It stole his breath as he pushed Hux closer to the edge, and he lost himself in Hux’s enjoyment.

Hux’s orgasm seemed to radiate out of him, and it hit Kylo with more force than he’d ever felt when opening himself to his partners. Kylo felt hot and painfully aroused as Hux’s orgasm washed over him, almost tipping him over the edge as well.

Kylo was shaking as Hux relaxed in his grasp, and his pleasure burned hot and low like the core of a dying star.

He wasn’t prepared to feel the latch of his mask disengage. Kylo looked up immediately, but Hux already had both hands on the helmet.

“What are you doing?” Kylo demanded, shaking for an entirely different reason.

“Game’s over. I want to see your face,” Hux said, not removing the helmet yet, but showing no signs of backing down either.

“You didn’t win a hand.”

“You didn’t just touch one place. And you used the Force. I could feel it,” Hux retorted.

“I didn’t invade your mind.”

“I’m sure you didn’t have to, but either way, you took what you wanted,” Hux said, and Kylo could feel Hux’s fingertips bushing the skin of his neck beneath the edge of the helmet.

“I just wanted to feel what it was like.”

“I’m offering to show you.”

“I can’t.”

“Nonsense. Let me touch you,” Hux coaxed, but he didn’t know what he was asking. He didn’t know what was just beneath the helmet he held.

“You already have,” Kylo insisted. He didn’t want this to end, but it would as soon as this helmet was taken away.

‘What are you afraid will happen?” Hux asked, massaging the base of Kylo’s neck with his fingers instead of tugging up the helmet.

“I’m not afraid. I know.”

“Then tell me what you know will happen. Have you had a Force vision? How are you so certain that you know?”

“I don’t need the Force to know I’m repulsive,” Kylo said sharply, angered by Hux’s teasing.

“In the military academy we would do all of these simulations. Battle simulations, war games, combat simulations, everything you could think of. I think we even simulated having to take a piss in a combat zone.”

“What does this have to do with my face?” Kylo asked.

“Simulations are brilliant in many ways, but they can’t prepare you for the real moment. Nothing can prepare you for the adrenaline, the stink of fear. It permeates the whole world around you. But you know what is far worse than any simulation or battle? What your mind concocts.”

“You think this is all in my head?”

“I think that however bad it is, your brain has magnified it to a point that it is crippling you, and the only way you’re going to know the truth is by facing it,” Hux told him.

“Is that your motivational speech? We don’t know how bad it is, but there’s only one way to find out?”

“My job is to inspire troops to go to battle. I inspire bloodlust. I am not so skilled at promising compassion,” Hux sighed, sitting back and letting go of the helmet.

Kylo didn’t know why he felt bereft without Hux threatening to take away his protection. He hung his head and grasped the edges of the helmet. He held his breath as he pulled it off and let his sweaty hair hang down over his features.

Hux’s fingers felt cool this time as they ran through his damp hair, pushing it back. It felt so good, but it was a lie. All of this was. Hux was right, time to face it and be done with this agony.

Kylo closed his eyes and tilted his face up, opening himself to the Force as he let Hux see him.

 


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well the last couple of weeks have royally blown, so I haven't had much time or energy for fic even ones that were finished and beta'd, so that's why it's been a minute.
> 
> Thanks again to kyluxtrashcompactor for betaing this whole fic for me.

Hux’s fingers didn’t stop their movement through his hair. They pushed more and more hair out of his face until Kylo could tell his features were in full view. Hux didn’t say anything as he continued to touch Kylo with care.

Kylo couldn’t feel revulsion or horror. He couldn’t feel much of anything coming from Hux other than the quiet hunger he’d been feeling since the gala. He _did_ feel Hux’s fingers slowly caress his cheeks and jaw. He felt him brush a stray hair away from his forehead and catch the edge of his scar in the process.

Slowly, Kylo opened his eyes, but Hux had leaned so close that Kylo couldn’t make out his expression. However, as Hux’s lips met his own, he could feel that heat and hunger building again.

Hux opened his lips slowly, letting his tongue slip past to tease Kylo’s own lips. He ran it over the bottom one then sucked it into his mouth. He bit it gently, before sucking on it until Kylo could focus on nothing else. When he let it go, he slipped his tongue into Kylo’s mouth as Kylo gasped.

It was yet another teasing gesture, there and gone within a heartbeat. Kylo tried to chase it, but Hux pulled back nipping one last time at Kylo’s lips.

“I want you on the cot,” Hux said, staring into Kylo’s eyes. His fingertips still caressed Kylo’s face, and Kylo had little desire to deny the request. Hux was either the best bluffer Kylo had ever met, or he wasn’t repulsed by Kylo’s face.

His body was shaky as he rose to his feet, eyes never leaving Hux’s. He was still nervous. Perhaps Hux could deal with his face, but what about the rest of him? Still, he couldn’t back down now. He couldn’t turn away when he’d come this far. He was almost there, and the promise of touch and companionship for an evening was too much to let slip away.

“The cot isn’t particularly big,” Kylo said regretfully as he stood beside it and looked down at his pathetic sleeping arrangements. The son of Princess Leia Organa was reduced to sleeping on a threadbare cot in a ship that made the Millennium Falcon look state of the art.

“I’ve shared smaller,” Hux said, stepping behind Kylo and reaching around his body to unfasten his pants. Kylo grabbed his hands, but he didn’t pull them away.

“It gets worse,” Kylo said, rubbing his thumbs over Hux’s palms.

“I’m not scared of scars, Kylo. Everyone has them,” Hux said.

“You don’t.”

“Not on my skin,” Hux sighed, pressing a kiss to the nape of Kylo’s neck. 

Kylo bit his lip, but he guided Hux’s fingers to open his pants and slip into his undergarments. Hux didn’t rush despite Kylo’s encouragement. He gently combed his fingers through the hair above Kylo’s cock and gently cupped him. He made no move to stroke Kylo in the confines of his pants, nor did he tease him with fleeting caresses.

Hux held him for a moment, pressing kisses to his neck and shoulders while holding Kylo flush against his naked body. It was impossible not to relax into Hux’s embrace, and as he did, Hux slowly pushed his pants down his hips, followed quickly by his underwear.

Kylo shivered as he was left bare from the waist down even though the cabin wasn’t cold at all. Hux didn’t step back to inspect him though. He continued to kiss Kylo’s shoulders as he pressed his erection to Kylo’s bare ass.

“Isn’t this more pleasant than your original plans for the evening?” Hux asked, grinding against him lightly.

“You’re very confident in yourself,” Kylo remarked, holding himself steady even as he felt like he might just melt into Hux’s touch.

“I see no reason to be anything else. Your body trembles at my very touch. Your breath catches when I press my lips to your skin,” Hux said, demonstrating just that as his hands and mouth roamed Kylo’s body.

“What strategy is this in your little game?” Kylo asked as Hux slowly began to peel his shirt over his head.

“This is no strategy. This is simply giving in to desire.”

“I can’t imagine that is a favored tactic in the military.”

“Perhaps not, but this isn’t a campaign,” Hux said, pulling the shirt up until Kylo had to lift his arms. 

Kylo screwed his eyes shut as Hux freed him from his last piece of protection. He heard it fall to the floor, and his heart couldn’t help but sink with it.

Hux’s lips brushed his shoulder blade again, and Kylo gasped loudly. The heat of Hux’s lips on his scarred skin left him breathless. Hux wasted no time tracing the thin scar from his shoulder blade to his spine.

Kylo panted as Hux finished the short journey with another kiss. His whole body shook as Hux’s fingers roamed over his bare flesh. He didn’t stop there. He quickly found another scar on Kylo’s back and he ran his fingers down it so gently that Kylo could hardly feel the caress. Still, his whole body tingled with arousal from the long-denied attention

Kylo could not remember ever being touched so gently in his entire life. Even as a child, no one had ever taken such care with him.

Hux’s lips traveled down Kylo’s spine as he sank to his knees behind Kylo’s back. Shivers followed his every touch. He didn’t shy away from Kylo’s scars. His tongue followed the thick white marks, but he gave equal attention to Kylo’s unblemished skin.

Kylo jolted as Hux buried his teeth in the curve of Kylo’s ass and teased the flesh as he sucked a mark into it. A surprised moan slipped from his lips as Hux slapped the other cheek lightly.

Hux laughed as he pulled away. “Your body has so much strength,” Hux said, running his palms over Kylo’s ass and down his thigh before bringing them back up over his spine.

“When you’re in isolation, there is little to do other than train one’s body and mind,” Kylo told him, bracing himself against the wall beside the cot to keep himself upright.

“And yet you try to keep all of it under wraps,” Hux said, clicking his tongue in disapproval right before placing a kiss at the base of Kylo’s spine. “I’ve never seen anything so masterfully designed.”

“You don’t need to lie.”

“I don’t make a habit of lying.”

“Only cheating.”

“Precisely,” Hux said, massaging Kylo’s thighs with his hands.

Kylo shook his head, but Hux’s words were effective. He could feel a flush growing over his body, standing out against the harsh white scars. He would’ve been embarrassed by his body’s reaction if Hux wasn’t to intent on tasting every inch of him like he was a decadent dessert.

Hux’s hand rested on Kylo’s hips, and he gently nudged Kylo to turn to face him. Kylo closed his eyes and held his breath as he turned slowly. He didn’t let himself pause until he was completely facing Hux, or he’d freeze up.

The front was the worst. Thick ropes of scar tissue crisscrossed his stomach and chest. A deep scar cover his right side where they’d shot him with a blaster as he escaped. Another deep scar rested just above his heart where they’d plunged his saber into him when he refused to tell them anything.

Once again Kylo couldn’t feel revulsion. He couldn’t feel regret from Hux or even mild disgust.

Kylo opened his eyes and found Hux’s mask was gone and his pale eyes roved over him like a caress, studying his body with clear interest.

“It’s not pretty,” Kylo said, watching Hux’s tongue poke out and wet that full bottom lip.

“I would not classify any of you as pretty, Kylo. Powerful, intelligent, mesmerizing, but not pretty,” Hux said, finally reaching forward and resting his palms on either side of Kylo’s muscled, though mangled, belly.

Kylo shook his head and looked away, but he didn’t stop Hux from touching him. He closed his eyes as Hux’s fingertips brushed over the starburst scar on his abdomen, and he felt breathless as Hux’s lips pressed against it.

Hux’s hands rubbed against Kylo’s thighs as he nuzzled Kylo’s belly.

Kylo cursed, pushing Hux away gently.

“What do you need?” Hux asked, refraining from touching Kylo further.

“A minute.”

“Why don’t you get on the cot? Lie down however you’re comfortable,” Hux encouraged him, standing up and walking back to the table to collect his flask. He took a sip and tossed it to Kylo.

Kylo easily caught it and collapsed onto the small cot before taking a long pull from the deceptively large flask. His mouth was flooded by the task of fine brandy, and even the taste bolstered Kylo’s confidence. Hux wasn’t repulsed. He wasn’t running away screaming, and he wasn’t being forced into this. There was nothing to fear.

“I haven’t been naked with anyone since I got these,” Kylo said, motioning to his body.

“I’m not here to judge your sex life,” Hux reminded him, walking back to him and kneeling between his legs.

Kylo gritted his teeth as Hux’s fingers lightly pushed his legs apart.

“Can you get aroused?” Hux asked, as he finally saw the state of him.

“Still functional,” Kylo said, reaching down and stroking himself before reaching back to where a single testicle remained. Compared to the other scars, this one wasn’t even bad. The emotional baggage of almost being castrated, or of actually being partially castrated was definitely worse than the scarring. Evidently, bacta worked better on the softer tissue, so short of regenerating that testicle, the area was well healed. Though not well enough to say he was just born this way.

Kylo wasn’t expecting Hux to lean in and wrap his lips around the lone testicle, but he supposed he should’ve. Kylo gasped as Hux gently shifted it around in his mouth with his tongue.

It felt strange to have Hux’s mouth there—to have any sort of contact there. Kylo tried to ignore it as much as possible when he masturbated, but Hux’s mouth was warm and wonderful. It sent his mind drifting peacefully.

The attention had his cock filling rapidly, helping Kylo forget his reservations and just enjoy Hux’s touch.

Hux pulled back and kissed over Kylo’s marked thighs as he stroked him with his hand. His other hand held his hip in a comforting grip.

“Lie back,” Hux said, guiding Kylo to lie down on his back as he climbed onto the cot as well. There was barely enough room for Hux to kneel between his spread thighs, but they made it work.

Hux lifted Kylo’s right leg and feathered kissed over it while massaging the muscles with strong fingers. He moved over to the other leg and did the same, pausing at a particularly deep band of scar tissue and tracing it with his tongue.

Kylo shivered as Hux gave it special attention, rubbing around it and kissing it softly. It made Kylo’s skin tingle and his heart race.

When Hux was finished with that scar, he moved up to Kylo’s torso, and braced himself over Kylo.

“Do you have any oil or lubricant?” he asked, reaching up to run his fingertips over Kylo’s lips.

Kylo nipped his fingers and pulled him flush against his body. He stole a kiss, pouring everything he was feeling into it. He hoped the flood of emotions wasn’t too much for Hux, but Hux didn’t seem bothered as he continued to kiss Kylo passionately.

When they pulled apart, Kylo reached beneath the cot and pulled out a mostly empty bottle. He cringed at the evidence of how often he touched himself in the absence of a partner.

Hux didn’t say a word about the amount in the bottle. He did pour some of it onto his hand.

Kylo held his breath expecting that hand to wrap around his aching cock, but Hux rubbed his hands together and placed them on Kylo’s chest. He massaged his chest carefully, spreading the lubricant over his skin to ease the contact.

It was surprisingly pleasurable to be touched by Hux. There were no more games, no concealed strategies. It was just Hux and Kylo and shared caresses.

“Your emotions are written all over your face,” Hux said as he straddled Kylo’s hips and continued to massage his firm chest. His thumbs teased Kylo’s nipples, and it stole Kylo’s already labored breath.

“I thought you were here to touch me, not talk to me,” Kylo retorted, raising his hands to cup Hux’s ass again. He moaned softly as he gripped Hux firmly.

Hux cleared his throat and ground back against Kylo’s hands. “Frankly, I usually talk quite a bit during coitus,” Hux admitted, moving his hands up to rub Kylo’s shoulders. He didn’t shy away from the scar there either, leaning forward to suck a bruise into the skin above Kylo’s clavicle.

Kylo arched off the bed, hips lifting Hux easily. He fell back to the cot as Hux let his skin go then kissed his scar softly. Kylo’s brain was hazy, and frankly, he couldn’t care less if Hux started to rant and rave so long as he kept touching his body.

“There’s so much power beneath the surface. Your body holds so much inside…”

“You don’t need to flatter me. I’m already naked. I’m not about to kick you out,” Kylo stopped him before he could start waxing poetic.

Hux frowned, but he kept his mouth shut as he worked his hands over Kylo’s ribs, feeling where they’d been broken and healed poorly then broken again so they could be set properly.

Kylo did exploring of his own, running his hands up and down Hux’s back, massaging along his spine and enjoying the way Hux arched into his touch. Hux’s body felt good beneath his fingers, and Kylo couldn’t get enough of it.

“On your belly,” Hux ordered, rising enough that Kylo could flip onto his stomach beneath him.

Kylo did as he was told, and Hux settled onto his thighs. Kylo moaned as Hux placed lube-wet hands on his ass and began to knead it firmly. Kylo grasped the thin blanket beneath him and moaned as Hux touched him.

“I want to taste every inch of you,” Hux told him, once again pressing a kiss to the scar not far above his ass. Hux wasted no time massaging the tension out of Kylo’s back, and Kylo began to wonder if there was a strategy to this after all.

The tension was gone from Kylo’s body, and he was so comfortable that he might just let Hux do as he wished with him.

When Hux spread his cheeks and pressed his tongue between them, Kylo practically tore the blanket in half. He held it so tightly, he wasn’t certain he’d ever let it go.

“I didn’t realize you meant all of me in the literal sense,” Kylo gasped as Hux pulled back for a moment.

“I’m a man of my word, Kylo. I will taste every bit of you, and then I will fuck you until you’re too aroused to be shy about your body,” Hux told him, pressing in again and teasing Kylo’s ass.

Kylo groaned, burying his face in the flat pillow and practically biting it as Hux pressed his tongue into him. No one had done this to him in so long that he had practically forgotten how good it felt.

When one of Hux’s lube slicked fingers joined his tongue, Kylo bucked back into the sensation of big filled. It really wasn’t much, but it felt good. Kylo reached back and spread himself wide for Hux as Hux worked him open.

“So eager,” Hux commented, slowly adding a second finger to the mix.

“You try living in self-induced celibacy for over a year, and you pretend you aren’t eager to be fucked,” Kylo snapped, riding Hux’s fingers almost roughly.

Hux’s hand steadied his aggressively bucking hips and pressed his fingers deep inside.

Kylo moaned as Hux dragged his fingers out slowly, sending sparks of pleasure right to Kylo’s belly. Kylo reached back for him, but he couldn’t quite touch Hux where he was seated.

Hux took his time opening Kylo up even though Kylo urged him on. Hux was careful as he made sure that he wouldn’t hurt Kylo or cause him discomfort.

“I fuck myself regularly, Hux. Just get on with it,” Kylo insisted, but Hux clicked his tongue.

“I am thorough in everything I do.”

“Thoroughly fuck me then,” Kylo insisted, feeling a new wave of vulnerability as he laid belly down with two fingers buried in his ass.

“In due time. For now, I am enjoying the view,” Hux teased him.

Kylo growled, bucking his hips and managing to flip himself once Hux removed his fingers from him. He grabbed Hux by his shoulders and pulled him down flush against his chest. He gripped him by the ass then and ground up against his body.

Hux moaned as their erections shifted against each other. “I’m not your damn toy. You’re making me feel things I haven’t felt in far too long, but don’t get cocky,” Kylo told him, capturing Hux’s lips with his own and pouring his need into the kiss.

Maybe he was asking too much. He wanted someone who wasn’t disgusted by him, but he also wanted someone who wouldn’t treat him as fragile. Maybe Hux wasn’t, but his attentions were getting to be too much. Kylo couldn’t handle so much touch when he hadn’t felt it in so long. He couldn’t stand to be laid bare after ages hiding behind thick robes.

“I’m not allowed to be turned on by your body?” Hux asked, kissing Kylo’s neck.

Kylo growled as Hux slowly sucked a bruise into the skin, sending pleasurable waves through Kylo’s already aroused body.

“You are trying to distract me. Are you planning to change hands while I’m overcome with pleasure?” Kylo asked, shifting beneath Hux to rub their cocks together again.

“I’m trying to distract you from your thoughts. All they do is lie to you and tell you that you shouldn’t enjoy this.” Hux ran his palm over Kylo’s chest and down between them to grip their cocks together.

Kylo arched up, but he didn’t buck Hux. He spread his legs and as Hux shifted between them, he wrapped them around Hux’s hips. Then he wrapped his arms around Hux’s shoulders, holding him in place.

Hux shook his head, but he didn’t complain. Kylo took it as an invitation to do his own exploring. He ran his palm down Hux’s spine to once again cup his ass and squeeze it softly.

Kylo rocked his hips up, and Hux met his movements as he stroked their cocks together. Once again, they slowed things down, taking their time to feel the other out.

There was an intimacy to it that had nothing to do with the sexual energy around them. Kylo could feel Hux beneath his fingertips but also in the air around him. It was as though together they had filled up all of the space in the cabin, and there was no movement that didn’t bring them closer together until their edges had blended completely.

Kylo brought his hands up and traced the contours of Hux’s face as they moved in tandem. He ran his thumb over Hux’s full lip and bit his own as he felt how soft it was.

Hux’s eyes never left his, and they were almost gray in the dim lighting of the room, but they penetrated deeply. Kylo ran his fingertips over his brow, and Hux closed his eyes.

Kylo kissed him. It was soft and far from demanding, but it was powerful. Kylo’s whole body buzzed as they moved their lips against each other’s. He was aware of every inch of Hux, and wanted to touch all of him.

“Open your eyes,” Hux whispered.

Kylo wasn’t aware of when he’d closed them, but as he opened them again, Hux was looming over him was a small smile on his lips.

“Every time I close my eyes, I see you writhing in pleasure, and I can’t tell if that’s your mind planting the image or my own desire,” Hux told him, squeezing their cocks as he continued to stroke them.

“I don’t know either,” Kylo admitted. He didn’t know if he was fully in control of his command of the Force, but he did know that the image Hux painted was something he deeply desired.

Hux’s walls were down, perhaps not completely but enough that Kylo could send a feeling to him. Hux gasped as Kylo carefully pushed his desire in Hux’s direction, not wanting to hurt or overwhelm him.

Hux shuddered, releasing their cocks and shifting lower so he could kneel between Kylo’s legs again. He pressed his fingers into Kylo once more, watching Kylo intently as he curved them upward and rubbed around his prostate.

Kylo arched off the cot and moaned as Hux used his other hand to stroke him. Kylo’s mind pressed against Hux’s and for a flash he saw himself as Hux did. He saw all of himself laid bare, scars and sweat and flushed skin. He saw his own muscles flexed as he arched his back. His neck twisted to the side with a deep purple bruise at the pulse.

He looked beautiful, or that’s what Hux felt when he looked at him. Kylo’s head swam as he had trouble pulling back from Hux’s vision of him.

A hand on his hip and the press of Hux’s cock against his entrance brought him back, and Kylo blinked up at Hux.

“I asked if you were okay?” Hux repeated himself.

Kylo nodded. “I just…”

“Were rooting around in my head. I know. You’re even less subtle when aroused,” Hux teased him, rubbing himself along Kylo’s ass.

Kylo growled, pushing himself against Hux’s erection. That shut Hux up.

Hux carefully lined himself up again and pressed into Kylo slowly. Kylo tried to keep his legs wrapped around Hux’s hips as he inched his way in, but his legs trembled horribly.

“Go on. You should see yourself right now,” Hux encouraged him, and Kylo tried to focus on entering Hux’s mind delicately. He doubted it was a gentle press.

He felt Hux jerk inside him as Kylo found his way in. Hux was clearly letting him in, but Kylo was too aroused to be gentle even when he was welcome.

Still, he immediately saw himself spread out on the rumpled sheets, chest heaving as Hux fed his cock into him. Hux looked down at where they were joined, and Kylo felt overwhelmed by the sight of it. His thick cock was wrapped in Hux’s hand, and his brain fed him each sensation just a moment after Hux moved his fingers. It was a strange delay, but it drove him wild. Then to watch his body react through Hux’s eyes, Kylo was overwhelmed.

He hardly felt the stretch of the first thrust, and feeling Hux’s desire and pleasure relaxed him. Kylo watched his body flush as Hux told him how good he looked stretched around his cock. It was embarrassing to see just how Hux’s words affected him, and Kylo jolted back into his own consciousness.

Hux cursed, and panted as Kylo blinked up at him. “Not subtle _at all_ when you’re aroused,” Hux grunted, thrusting into Kylo.

Kylo groaned, really feeling how Hux filled him now. “I’m sorry. I’m out of practice,” Kylo said, running his hands up and down Hux’s shaking arms.

Hux shook his head, leaning in to steal a kiss as he slowly built a rhythm. Kylo accepted it gratefully, more than happy to take the focus away from himself.

They worked in tandem, moving their bodies against each other and finding the perfect balance of power and finesse to push the other closer to the edge. Kylo never stopped touching Hux’s body, craving the feeling of having someone else in bed with him. Hux peppered kisses wherever he could reach and sucked bruises into Kylo’s skin to leave his own mark.

They were unhurried, though they weren’t exactly gentle with each other either. Slowly, Kylo’s touches became scratches and grabs, and Hux’s love bites became more prevalent and demanding.

Their minds also opened as they forgot their shyness and reservations. Kylo could feel what Hux was feeling even without entering his mind. Their pleasure filled the room, engulfing everything within. The temperature rose, and sweat covered their bodies.

Kylo’s hand actually slipped as he grabbed Hux’s hip to get their angle just right. Their chests slid against each other’s in a rather disgusting way. Neither of them really noticed as they continued to be completely entranced by the other.

Their fingers laced around Kylo’s cock as they got closer to the edge. No words were shared, but they could both feel the other’s arousal reaching a tipping point.

Kylo saw flashes of his fevered face from time to time, and he knew Hux was experiencing something similar.

“Do it,” Hux whispered as their pace became frantic and uncoordinated.

“I’ll hurt you,” Kylo said, grasping Hux’s hip tightly and trying to ground himself.

“I can handle it,” Hux insisted, grunting as sweat dripped down his face.

“You don’t know the damage I could do if I lose control,” Kylo insisted, feeling his body begin to tip.

“Do it,” Hux ordered, snapping his hips sharply and stealing Kylo’s breath.

Kylo closed his eyes and tried to control himself as he opened himself to the Force and pushed toward Hux’s mind. He wasn’t expecting to slip in without any resistance, and as soon as he did their combined passion was overwhelming.

Kylo saw himself, eyes closed and lips parted in a long moan. He turned his face, not able to watch himself, but Hux cupped his face and kept it facing him. Kylo bit his lip as the pink on his cheeks only deepened.

It was too much. He couldn’t watch himself like this. He couldn’t face those scars.

Hux’s feelings wrapped around him though, and Kylo saw himself as Hux did. The same image seemed somehow lighter, softer.

Hux kissed him, and with both of their eyes closed there was nothing to focus on but the other’s arousal.

Kylo wasn’t even sure their bodies were moving anymore. But their orgasm came like a sudden storm, a torrent of pleasure and feeling crackling through them both as they clung to each other. Kylo couldn’t be sure whether what he was feeling was his own pleasure or Hux’s and it was as powerful as it was disorienting.

Just as suddenly as it had come, the waves of pleasure gave way to a pervasive exhaustion, and they both collapsed onto the sheets.

Kylo blinked owlishly as he opened his eyes. Something across the cabin was sparking, and the table was overturned. Cards littered the floor, and the flask was spilling its last drops into Hux’s boot which was all the way across the room.

“Like I said. You lack subtlety,” Hux commented, sounding completely out of breath as he shifted so his softening cock slid out of Kylo’s ass.

Kylo cringed as he felt Hux’s come slide free of him as well. He was covered in so much sweat that everything was uncomfortable and sticky.

“I warned you,” Kylo said, turning to look at Hux and frowning. Hux’s nose was bleeding, and his eyes had deep bruises beneath them. Kylo cursed, sitting up and grabbing his shirt from where it had landed beside him on the bed.

“I’m fine,” Hux insisted, though he sounded like he’d just had the fight of his life.

“Just let me clean it up. I shouldn’t have done that,” Kylo insisted, but Hux just shrugged.

“I’ve never come like that before.”

“You’ve probably also not gotten a bloody nose and black eyes from it either,” Kylo said, wiping away the blood on Hux’s face and kissing him. He could taste the metallic tang of Hux’s blood, but even that wasn’t enough to stop the sparks of pleasure that ignited within him as he felt Hux’s lips against his own.

His shirt was a mess by the time they got Hux’s nose to stop bleeding. The temperature in the ship took a lot longer to come down, and they both stuck to each other as they tried to get comfortable on the cramped cot.

Hux traced his fingertips over Kylo’s chest as he laid beside him. Kylo had his arm wrapped around Hux’s shoulder, and he tugged at the sweaty hairs at the nape of his neck.

“Wasn’t that better than whatever you’d had planned for the evening?” Hux asked after a while, though his voice sounded a thousand miles away.

“I suppose it was not the worst way to spend an evening,” Kylo retorted.

Hux’s hand slapped down on his chest with a loud smack, and Kylo smiled as he pulled the other man closer to him until their legs were hopelessly tangled.

“You just like to hear praise,” Kylo mumbled.

“I earn every bit of praise I receive,” Hux insisted.

Kylo snorted. Neither of them said another thing as they fell into a well earned slumber.

 


	4. Chapter 4

Kylo woke with a smile on his face, feeling well rested and less burdened than he had in ages. He opened his eyes to find his quarters mostly dark, and Hux half dressed and cursing rather loudly.

“I would’ve expected an officer to be more put together in the morning,” Kylo commented, stretching out on the cot and putting his arm beneath his head.

“You’ve shorted the damn ship!” Hux complained loudly in the small space.

“What?”

“The ship is fried. Whatever sex magic you used caused the whole ship to overload. We’re trapped in here, and I have important places to be,” Hux ranted, grabbing Kylo’s boot and throwing it at the door which refused to open.

“That’s never happened before,” Kylo said, not really knowing what to say. Perhaps comparing his orgasm to a storm had been a little too close to the truth.

“I should ask how you don’t just go around short circuiting ships by orgasming,” Hux snapped, clearly in a bit of a mood this morning.

“Most of my tools are in the cockpit,” Kylo admitted.

“Great. Can’t get to those while we’re trapped in this room which is ridiculously hot and stinks of sex.” Hux threw his arms up and began to pace. He only made it halfway across the small room before he tripped over another boot.

“I’ll send a transmission to—”

“What part of the whole ship is fried didn’t you understand?” Hux demanded.

“What crawled up your ass this morning?” Kylo retorted.

“Nothing crawled up my ass, but you did crawl into my head and now I’m dealing with an awful migraine as well as being trapped in this cramped pile of shit.”

“Come here,” Kylo said, reaching out for Hux. He’d completely forgotten to be shy about his nudity as he was sprawled out without so much as a sheet to cover him.

“I most certainly will not. I won’t be distracted,” Hux insisted.

“I can make the headache go away,” Kylo told him.

“I don’t want any more of your powers. You’ve already irreparably ruined my morning.”

“Just shut up and come back to bed. Throwing shoes at the door isn’t going to open it,” Kylo told him.

Hux huffed, but he returned to the cot and sat down beside him. Kylo sat up and shifted so that he was sitting behind Hux. He bracketed him with his thighs and gently placed his hands on Hux’s shoulders.

Kylo couldn’t heal using the Force. It was a limit of his powers that often frustrated him, but he did know how to relieve tension and pain. He’d learned that as a boy when his mother had terrible headaches due to the frustrations of her position.

“May I touch you?” Kylo asked, hesitating before resting his hands on Hux.

“I don’t have time to play a game to feel comfortable with you touching me,” Hux retorted, still sounding tense and annoyed.

Kylo didn’t take the bait. He rested the tips of his fingers on Hux’s neck and focused himself. He reached out with the Force and carefully pressed into Hux’s neck. He closed his eyes and searched for the tension in Hux’s body,

Hux didn’t block him out, and Kylo could feel him shaking beneath his fingers.

It was a delicate procedure, carefully coaxing the tension out of Hux. The man had no shortage of tension either. The more Kylo probed and nudged, the more tied up and twisted Hux seemed to be.

“You weren’t nearly this wound up last night,” Kylo noted, working his fingers up to rub just at the base of Hux’s skull.

“I didn’t have things that required my immediate attention last night, nor did I realize I would be trapped inside this metal box with a one night stand,” Hux huffed, moaning loudly as Kylo found a particularly stubborn point of tension and worked at it. “It feels strange having you poke around in me.”

“I’m not actually poking anything,” Kylo said, trying to focus but finding himself easily distracted by how nice it felt to be able to touch Hux freely.

Hux cursed and suddenly gripped Kylo’s thigh tightly.

“Did I hurt you?” Kylo asked, cursing himself for getting distracted.

Hux groaned and went almost completely limp in Kylo’s arms. Kylo caught him and held him to his chest before he flopped to the side. Hux released Kylo’s thigh and sighed.

“I feel...is this what it feels like to relax?” Hux asked, voice barely a whisper as he leaned heavily against Kylo. “One moment, I could barely open my eyes due to that migraine and then suddenly no pain at all. I think I might be sick.”

Kylo chuckled, pressing his hand to Hux’s bare chest and rubbing it. “Where do you have to go that’s so pressing?” Kylo asked, and he didn’t realize he was still connected to Hux until flashes of officers in uniforms played before his eyes. Kylo recognized the insignia as that of the fringe group his mother had been fighting to keep from taking hold.

Hux’s feelings of apprehension came with the images. Clearly, he wasn’t certain he wanted to deal with these people, but he was being sent to them anyway.

“It’s none of your business,” Hux told him, clearly unaware that his mental blocks were down.

Kylo pulled back carefully, trying not to hurt Hux as he did so.

“I need to go,” Hux insisted, but any attempts to get up ended deeper in Kylo’s embrace. “I feel like I’ve had too much brandy.”

“You just don’t know what it feels like to relax,” Kylo told him.

Hux shook his head. “If I’m late, they’ll put a price on my head.”

“I won’t let them touch you,” Kylo insisted.

Hux snorted. “I don’t need a savior, Kylo. I do just fine on my own.”

“Cheating your way to the top.”

“My methods are effective.”

“And what if they get you killed?” Kylo asked, running his fingers through Hux’s hair and enjoying how soft it was.

“Then I’ll just be another dead soldier in a war older than we are.”

“But that’s not what you want. You want power. I can give you power,” Kylo insisted.

“You can’t even get us out of this ship,” Hux complained.

“It’s not like we’re stuck in space or something. We’re in a docking bay. Eventually, someone will come get us,” Kylo said confidently.

“You realize that I actually have appointments and responsibilities. I’m not royalty.”

“But if you told them you were indisposed by royalty?”

“They’d laugh in my face before shooting me if they heard it was you,” Hux retorted, turning enough in Kylo’s embrace to catch his lips.

His kiss didn’t speak of the same urgency that Hux insisted he felt. His lips kissed languidly, tasting Kylo like he was a fine wine and not a quick bite. Hux savored him as he pushed Kylo down onto the sheets again.

“I thought you were in a hurry,” Kylo said, holding Hux’s hips as he straddled Kylo.

“I currently feel ten years younger and more relaxed than I did when I was a child, and I’m already late for my meeting,” Hux said, rolling his hips and grinding against Kylo.

“You should lose the pants then,” Kylo insisted, unbuttoning them and pulling the zipper down.

“I don’t know if I’ll be able to find them if you trash the cabin again,” Hux said, but he got up and pulled them off.

“You’ve discovered my plan. If you can’t find your clothes, you’ll have to stay here with me,” Kylo teased, pulling Hux down onto him and rocking their bodies together.

“I would walk out of here as naked as the day I was born if I had to,” Hux insisted.

“Don’t tempt me, or you might just be doing that.”

Hux shook his head in exasperation, but he quickly began to explore Kylo’s body again.

The second round was no less phenomenal than the first, though Kylo managed to be more careful this time so no one received a bloody nose. The ship did not fare as well, and more things were sparking as Kylo fell out of bed, completely covered in sweat, come, and bruises.

Hux landed next to him, breathing hard and wiping something off his chest. “Do the thing with my head again,” he said, slapping Kylo on the chest instead of what was possibly supposed to be a pat.

“I don’t want to touch you right now,” Kylo complained, feeling the oppressive heat inside the cabin.

“Can’t you Force it cooler or something?”

“That’s not how the Force works.”

Hux scoffed. “What good is the Force if it isn’t practical?” Hux asked, rolling onto his side away from Kylo.

Kylo rolled with him, bringing his hands up and easily slipping into Hux’s head. Unraveling the tension was easier this time, and Hux moaned louder than he did during sex as what little tension had built again was relieved.

They laid together, not actually touching for a long time before Kylo got up to take a piss. He held his hand up as he walked to the door that led to the fresher and he used the Force to open it. He stepped inside and relieved himself before coming back out.

Hux was sitting up with his mouth hanging wide open as Kylo walked toward him.

“What?” Kylo asked, scratching his belly.

“You can open the doors with the Force?”

Kylo nodded.

“You could’ve opened the door to let me out of here?” Hux demanded.

“You didn’t ask me to.”

“I didn’t know you could!”

Kylo just shrugged.

“You cheat.”

“I simply won our game of strategy,” Kylo insisted.

Hux’s mouth opened and closed several times. “I missed an important meeting.”

“With the First Order. I may not be a spy anymore, but I’m not just about to hand you over to the enemy,” Kylo told him, rummaging through storage for a clean set of clothes.

“Unbelieveable,” Hux complained, getting to his feet and stalking over to Kylo. Kylo wasn’t expecting to get slapped, but he wasn’t entirely surprised either as his cheek smarted. “I could be killed for this stunt you pulled.”

“Not if you come with me. You have your doubts; I felt them. We could live outside the war, choose no sides…”

“You think you can just escape this?”

“I think that nothing can best us if we’re together,” Kylo told him.

“You’re out of your mind.”

“I’ve been living in isolation for over a year. It’s a possibility, though my uncle has been gone for longer.”

Hux threw up his hands and stalked back to the bed, pulling on his pants which hadn’t gone far this time. He muttered to himself as he tugged them up his legs. He pulled on his boots and cringed as the inside of the one was still wet with brandy.

“May I have a shirt?” he finally asked as he turned to face Kylo once again.

Kylo found him a shirt that was definitely a few sizes too big, but Hux pulled it on and tucked it in partially. When he was dressed he turned to Kylo again.

“Why me? We had sex. It was mind blowing, but that’s probably normal for you. We’ve been trying to one up each other since we met not an entire cycle ago. Why would you want me?” Hux asked, finally revealing his own insecurity.

The complete shift in the game of cat and mouse was jarring, though not unwelcome. Kylo seized the opportunity to have the higher ground.

Kylo slowly approached him, wrapping his hands around Hux’s hips as they stood toe to toe. “Why’d you choose me at the ball?” Kylo turned it around on him.

Hux actually blushed. “I’ve never fucked a Force user. I thought… Well, I might die tomorrow, so now’s the chance to see what it’s about,” Hux said.

“For someone so adept at cheating, you’re terrible at bluffing,” Kylo told him, pulling Hux in and kissing him. He gave a gentle nudge at Hux’s mind, and surprisingly Hux relented easily.

Kylo felt his apprehension, but also his desire to throw caution to the wind and go with Kylo. Then he got a flash of suffering and pain.

“You were going to kill those officers,” Kylo said as he realized Hux’s original intent for the meeting.

“I should kill you for even speaking that out loud,” Hux told him.

“I could help you. The Resistance could help you.”

“I don’t want to be a part of the Resistance. I just want those that destroyed my family to suffer,” Hux told him sharply.

“I can help you,” Kylo whispered, running his fingers through Hux’s hair again.

“You won’t even let yourself be seen.”

“I don’t need to be seen to kill a man,” Kylo retorted.

“Your ship is destroyed,” Hux insisted, but his excuses were getting flimsy.

“My father’s a smuggler. You really think that I can’t get us another ship off this moon?”

Hux shook his head. “We’ll do nothing but butt heads.”

“That runs in my family,” Kylo retorted, catching Hux’s lips again.

“You’re like a human furnace. It’s uncomfortable, and I—”

“You slept on top of me last night.”

“Because I was senseless.”

Kylo shook his head. “Come with me and we can argue whenever you like.”

Hux sighed. “I hate the heat. I grew up on a planet where it rained constantly.”

“I’m sure we can find a rainy dump to live in.”

Hux grumbled, but he stood beside Kylo as he used the Force to open the ship doors. Then they walked off carrying what little belongings Kylo had in search of another ship, receiving several curious looks as they went, especially as Kylo tried to force the door shut again only for it to fall off completely.

Hux grumbled more, but they walked away hurriedly, pretending it wasn’t theirs.

 


End file.
